


Mixing Metaphors

by malhagie



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adults, Alternate Universe - Magic, Cool Cars, F/M, Gen, Haunting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27508849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malhagie/pseuds/malhagie
Summary: A retelling of the raven cycle with the characters as adults and with symbolism and magic that I want. It follows the same basic concept of Gansey's quest but with many different twists."Adam Parrish's headlights cut swaths of light through night. A slight drizzle splattered on the windshield of his nondescript Toyota. He drove down the winding mountain road, taking the hairpin turns with caution.Halfway down the mountain road Adam’s car rounded a corner and it’s headlights illuminated a car stranded on the near nonexistent shoulder. The car was low and wide, black finish against a black night. The car’s vanity plate reflected the light of the headlights for a short moment: GLNDWR."
Relationships: Noah Czerny & Blue Sargent, Richard Gansey III & Adam Parrish, Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent
Kudos: 1





	1. Firebird

**Author's Note:**

> I will add more tags as I write more. I plan on writing a bunch of short chapters.

Adam Parrish's headlights cut swaths of light through night. A slight drizzle splattered on the windshield of his nondescript Toyota. He drove down the winding mountain road, taking the hairpin turns with caution. 

Halfway down the mountain road Adam’s car rounded a corner and it’s headlights illuminated a car stranded on the near nonexistent shoulder. The car was low and wide, black finish against a black night. The car’s vanity plate reflected the light of the headlights for a short moment: GLNDWR.

The owner of the car stood before its hood. He raised his arm to flag down Adam’s car as he approached, but Adam was already slowing down. For a few moments, the man was brilliantly lit in the rain and gloom. He had tanned skin and luxurious chestnut hair that had been flattened by the rain. He wore a duster and a dark suit underneath.

Adam’s car slowed to a crawl and the man threw an arm up over his face to shield from the light and the rain. He approached Adam’s Camry as Adam rolled down the window.

It had been years since they had seen each other but Adam recognized him instantly: Richard Gansey the Third. They had gone to Harvard University together and met during undergrad. They had shared a few Latin classes together and had become friends. As close as Adam Parrish came to making friends. As Adam went on to pursue Law, Gansey went on to pursue Welsh history.

Gansey blinked into the car interior through the drops of water on his tortoiseshell framed glasses. He took them off and wiped them on his duster, and when he replaced them on his face Adam clicked on the overhead light in his Camry so that Gansey would get a view of his face.

“Adam Parrish!” Gansey exclaimed.

“Gansey, long time no see,” Adam said.

He extended a hand, out of the car for Gansey to shake. Gansey did so, clasping both hands around Adam’s, warm and friendly as always.

“Car troubles?” Adam said with slight amusement in his voice.

Gansey shrugged in a helpless gesture, a smile on his face.

In the time that Adam had known him Gansey had owned an ancient Chevy Camaro that was a bright orange with black racing stripes. He had affectionately dubbed the car “The Pig.” The Pig had been prone to all sorts of mechanical troubles and was in and out of local garages at least once a month if not more.

Adam parked his car so that his headlights illuminated the front of Gansey’s car. Even in the dark and the rain the car was a thing of beauty. A black Pontiac Firebird, a golden phoenix with wings splayed painted on the hood.

Adam whistled in appreciation.

“She sure is beautiful isn’t she, Adam? I call her the Raven.”

“Fitting. What happened with the car?” Adam asked, burying his hands in the pockets of his chinos at an attempt for warmth.

“Well, the engine started smoking!” Gansey said, aghast.

“Was it black or white?” Adam asked.

“What?”

“Was it steam or smoke?” Adam asked, turning the full weight of his gaze upon Gansey.

“It was billowing like clouds, I thought it was foggy at first until I looked out my rear-view mirror,” Gansey said disparagingly.

“It was probably overheating,” Adam said, “When was the last time you checked the coolant?”

“Overheating, in this weather?” Gansey asked, incredulous.

Adam nodded, “Gasoline burns very hot.”

“Oh, I do not know.”

Adam approached the car, he placed the palm of his hand on the slick hood, his thumb nestled next to one of the daring swoops in the metal. It was hot to the touch, but not enough to burn. Adam remembered when he had lusted for a car of this caliber.

“It’s warm,” he finally remarked.

The two men popped the hood and Adam leaned over the engine, using his phone as a flashlight he read the coolant level: it was completely empty.

Adam explained this to Gansey and that after the engine was cooled, they could add water and hopefully they could make it back down the mountain. The rain began to let up, leaving them with a pleasant night. Adam killed the headlights on his car and the two men stood in the unpolluted light of the moon and stars. Gansey tended to ramble so before he could ask any questions of Adam, Adam asked what the significance of his vanity license plate was.

Gansey’s face lit up and he turned to fully face Adam, “I can’t believe you asked!”

“Glendower,” he said reverently, “It stands for Glendower. An ancient Welsh myth. A heroic king who never died. Since he had been born it had been prophesied by all manner of witches and psychics and seers that he would die on a specific date: May 21st 1415. To preserve his spirit his court magicians created a spell that would tether his soul to a line of energy that encompasses the globe. On May 20th they put him into a deep sleep, casting a spell that would tie his soul to a line of magical energy that encircles the earth. I believe this line, this ley line, leads them here to the New World, here to Virginia. That Glendower sleeps, just waiting for the May 20th equinox of this year to be reawakened,” Gansey finished, breathless.

He left his gaze fully on Adam. Adam’s eyes remained fixed on the waning moon above.

“That’s not too far away is it, huh?” he asked.

“No, it is not,” Gansey said, turning his gaze skyward as well.

Adam turned back to the engine; he hovered a hand over the radiator to gage the temperature then touched it carefully to confirm that it had cooled. He fetched a bottle of water from the trunk of his Camry and poured it into the coolant reserve, instructing Gansey on how to help.

“Marvelous!” Gansey called out to him once they had the car going again, “You are a wonderful creature Adam! You listen to my insane ramblings and you know how to fix cars! How did I never know that about you?”

“Gansey, you need to get going,” Adam gently said.

Gansey sat back in his seat, waving at Adam. Then Adam did something spontaneous, compelled by Gansey’s exceptionally pleasant demeanor.

“Wait!” he called out, “Let’s meet up again. If we are in the area.”

“Yes!” Gansey called back, “Feeling up to an early breakfast? Let’s go to a diner!”

“Sure, okay,” Adam said with a small but genuine smile.

Adam climbed into his humming Camry and listened to the growls and rumbles of Gansey’s Firebird as he followed him down the mountainside.


	2. 24/7 Pancakes

The establishment that Adam followed Gansey to was the only place open in the small town at that hour of night. It’s glowing neon lights lit up the wet pavement and their cars in blues, reds, and yellows. The restaurant, Nino’s, advertised the best pancakes in town and a 24/7 breakfast menu. From what Adam had seen of the dingy little town he could only assume their boasting was true. The two men settled down in a booth. Adam ordered scrambled eggs and Gansey ordered avocado toast, both with large glasses of iced tea.

“That Firebird is a thing of beauty, but what ever happened to The Pig?” Adam asked. He still treasured the memories they made of riding together in the old machine. It was loud, its climate control was busted, and it had always smelled slightly of gasoline, but it was a fun car.

“Oh, my sweet girl,” Gansey remarked fondly, “We had a wonderful time together. But alas, her time was cut short. She was totaled in a car accident.”

“Oh, no Gansey,” Adam said.

“Yes, very tragic,” Gansey said. He began to fiddle with his napkin, a faraway look in his eyes.

“I truly loved The Pig, but Raven is an excellent car. I’m glad I had the opportunity to buy her.”

“Cars aren’t women you know,” a feminine voice chimed in somewhere behind Adam.

He was surprised, but he had trained himself to not let it show. The person spoke on the side of his deaf ear, but loud enough to be heard.

“Excuse me?” Gansey asked.

He looked at the space above Adams head. He adjusted his glasses, his face distorted in confusion. Adam turned in his seat to see a woman’s head had popped up over the back of their connected booths.

She had medium toned skin and black hair that stuck out around her head in angry tuffs. It appeared she had attempted to tame her hair with a variety of accessories but had not been successful. Her expression was sour and her eyeliner was smeared on her left eye. 

“Referring to your cars with female pronouns, that’s sexist,” she spat with venom in her voice.

Adam scooted over so he didn’t have to crane his neck to look at her as much. Gansey was very confused. 

“How is it sexist?” he blubbered, “I love my car.”

“You’re objectifying women!” her voice grew to an angry pitch that was too loud for that early in the morning and that public of a place. “You are directly referring to an object as with female pronouns!”

"Oh, I did not know that," Gansey admitted. "I will stop doing it." 

The woman was a bit taken aback by Gansey’s sudden concession. Her expression softened. 

"We are sorry to have offended you, ma'am." Adam added. 

“Thank you,” she said after a moment. 

"You're very welcome," Gansey said. "I would not have spoken like that if I had known it was problematic. You learn something new every day."

"Good," the woman said, "Have a nice morning you three."

The woman turned and sunk back down in her seat.

"Us three?" Gansey piped up in confusion. 

Adam was similarly confused. 

The woman’s head popped back up, her expression beginning to get annoyed again.

"Yes. You, Mr. Ma'am," she motioned to Adam, "and the silent one."

She motioned to the empty spot in the booth. Gansey and Adam looked between her and the empty spot, a variety of confused expressions crossing their faces.

"There is no one-" Gansey started to say.

The table suddenly moved, making their tea glasses jump and spill. It was wrenched away from the booth seats by an invisible force. A wave of cold air washed over them like a door opening in a snowstorm.

"Wait!" the woman called out. 

Her attention was no longer on Gansey and Adam. She was looking at the commotion moving through the restaurant as tables wobbled and chairs were toppled. She ran from the restaurant. Adam looked at Gansey, raising his near invisible eyebrows. Gansey shrugged. Unspeaking they rose and followed the woman out into the night.

"There is no need to be afraid," the woman was saying to the empty air when Adam and Gansey caught up with her in the parking lot.

They all stood still, the two men watching the woman as she stared intently into empty space.

"No wait! Please don't go!" She wailed.

She stepped forward and reached out a hand at nothing, but soon faltered, letting her hand fall to her side.

Adam looked between her and Gansey. Gansey had a peculiar expression on his face while the woman looked despondent. 

"You saw something," Gansey said to the woman, his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

The woman turned to look at them, she appeared close to tears. Adam quickly looked away.

"I saw a ghost," the woman said.

She wiped at her eyes. Gansey’s expression turned to pure amazement. 

"You can see ghosts? There was a ghost sitting at my table?"

The woman nodded, "He was here because of you."

Adam was worried Gansey would stop breathing, he looked so shocked.

"My name is Blue Sargent. I can see ghosts, I have special psychic energy that ghosts can feed off of. He followed you into the restaurant. He was scared, that’s why he ran," the woman explained.

"How extraordinary! But why me? Are you sure?" Gansey asked. 

"I don't know, but he was so frightened," Blue shook her head sadly.

They lapsed into silence for a few moments. Adam could practically hear the gears turning in Gansey’s head.

He looked at the woman, Blue. She was rather short and was wearing a mishmash of clothing. She had on leggings, tights, and socks on underneath her patchwork purple skirt and a jean jacket covered in patches over a multicolored hoodie.

"This is incredible, a real ghost encounter," Gansey said, "Please, is there anymore you can tell me?"

"Uh, I really need to get back to studying," Blue said, indicating back to the diner.

"Oh, you are a student! I don't want to interrupt, any more than I already have of course, but I would very much like to talk to you some more about this," Gansey said.

Adam watched in fascination as Gansey collected Blue's number and a promise to have a real conversation.

The three of them returned to the diner. Gansey and Adam settled their bill while Blue returned to her studies, watching them out of the corner of her eye.

As Adam and Gansey left Gansey invited Adam to join him for a proper meal and to catch up some more. Adam agreed without complaint. It would be nice to have friends again. They went their separate ways, Adam reminding Gansey to get his Firebird checked out quickly.


End file.
